dishwasher

American  

[dish-wosh-er, -waw-sher] / ˈdɪʃˌwɒʃ ər, -ˌwɔ ʃər /

noun

dishwashers plural

1. a person who washes dishes.

2. a machine for washing dishes, kitchen utensils, etc., automatically.

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dishwasher British  

/ ˈdɪʃˌwɒʃə /

noun

1. an electrically operated machine for washing, rinsing, and drying dishes, cutlery, etc

2. a person who washes dishes, etc

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• dishwashers
  plural

Etymology

Origin of dishwasher

First recorded in 1520–30; dish + washer

Explanation

If you work as a dishwasher, your job involves cleaning the glasses, plates, bowls, and silverware at a restaurant or cafe. You're also a dishwasher if you volunteer to wash the dishes after dinner at home. Some dishwashers scrub pots, pans, and dishes by hand, while others simply load up the other kind of dishwasher — a machine that automatically cleans dishes. While a human dishwasher has to scrub to get the dishes clean, a mechanical dishwasher sprays extremely hot water to do the same job. This new and improved type of dishwasher was invented in the late 19th century.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

dishwasher dishwashers

Most decibel charts consider that moderate noise, somewhere between steady rainfall and a dishwasher.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 24, 2026

I like to save on time and kitchen clean-up because I don’t have a dishwasher, so store-bought is my preferred option.

From Salon ● Jul. 22, 2026

But training them to safely perform household tasks like ironing or stacking the dishwasher is proving difficult and costly.

From BBC ● Jul. 2, 2026

First, I’d like to see a dishwasher with racks that can be raised, making it easier for tall people to load and unload them.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 29, 2026

After clearing the table and loading the dishwasher, the kids headed upstairs as the brownstone creaked mournfully in the silence.

From "The Vanderbeekers of 141st Street" by Karina Yan Glaser

Running washing machines and dishwashers with full loads.

From BBC ● Jul. 12, 2026

"Raise your thermostat as high as is comfortably safe," the company urged, while calling on residents to delay using laundry, dishwashers and electric vehicle chargers until after 8:00 pm.

From Barron's ● Jul. 1, 2026

Legends’ most recent proposal calls for wage freezes for some workers and a 25-cent hourly increase for cooks and dishwashers, the union said.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 2, 2026

This includes restaurant workers like bartenders, wait staff and dishwashers; hospitality workers including concierges and housekeeping staff; as well as tour guides, personal trainers and hairdressers.

From MarketWatch ● May 14, 2026

Over the last few decades, we have invented countless time-saving devices that are supposed to make life more relaxed—washing machines, vacuum cleaners, dishwashers, telephones, mobile phones, computers, email.

From "Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind" by Yuval Noah Harari